What Are Heel Spurs?
Heel spurs, sometimes referred to as “bone spurs” are located at the bottom of your heel, where your heel bone connects to your plantar fascia.
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that develop under the heel bone over time. They aren’t typically noticed until you start to experience heel pain as a result.
Heel spurs are typically the result of stress or strain to the ligaments and muscles in the foot.
Conditions like plantar fasciitis or having a gait disorder can lead to heel spurs.A spur will form inside a ligament or tendon at its insertion point on a bone.The spur grows in the direction of pull of that ligament or tendon.They are a skeletal stress response.
Other risk factors for heel spurs include running on hard surfaces, wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly or have poor arch support, or being overweight. Most of these conditions simply lead to altered biomechanics of course. Another more systemic source of heel spurs is having a condition that makes one prone to forming spurs. This is a ‘bone-forming- tendency. Some people with high bone mass scores have this problem.
Although a lot of heel spurs go undetected, they can be very painful. If you believe you’re experiencing pain as the result of heel spurs, you may want to receive an official diagnosis. However, there are a few ways to potentially relieve this pain from home.
Reduce Heel Spur Pain From Home
If you are an avid runner or jogger, you could give your heels a break by switching up your routine and activities. Performing a different type of exercise that places less emphasis on the heel can help keep your activity levels up, without straining yourself. If you do run, as with any other form of exercise, it’s important to get plenty of rest and recovery between workouts.
Applying an ice pack to the affected area can also help reduce pain and inflammation.
Anti-inflammatories can also reduce pain associated with heel spurs. We know that when we say anti-inflammatory, your first thought is probably ibuprofen or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID).
However, we have several anti-inflammatory supplements at Well Theory that can reduce inflammation over time and help reduce pain. Our Joint Health Multi is one of our more popular supplements.
It’s a unique combination of turmeric, ginger and PEA that alleviates inflammation and pain, naturally.
Alleviate Foot Pain With The Healing Sole
The Healing Sole was designed with a rocker bottom sole that can help alleviate stress on the foot. That same feature can provide a gentle stretch to areas prone to higher levels of stress.
The overall structure of our sandals, with their compressible inner heel and non-compressible outer heel reduces pressure to the overall foot, allowing for recovery. At the same time, the point of maximal pain from the plantar fascia is off-loaded.
There is also a proper arch support, and the design includes a metatarsal bar that helps support the plantar fascia and reduce stress to the heel. The low-profile arch, rocker bottom, and metatarsal bar also allow the ball of the foot to have less pressure applied.
If you suffer from heel spurs, then The Healing Sole may help you recover after activities that leave you in pain.
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